Ten to fifteen minutes later, Saunji, Takumi's coworker, came back.
" Back so soon! Didn't you enjoy the food at the cantine?" Takumi uttered to him as he kept working.
When Saunji placed a bag on his desk, the latter was confused and before he could ask anything, his coworker uttered, " I was at the cantina and I couldn't eat, thinking you were here working, so instead of enjoying the food by myself, I thought why don't I bring you a share too and so here I am." He uttered as he concluded his statement.
Sauji scratched the back of his head as he looked away. Takumi was at a loss for words but regardless, he appreciated his coworker's concern for him.
" Thank you, Saunji!" He uttered as he grinned slightly. " So, shall we eat?" He asked as he put the files away.
Saunji nodded as both enjoyed the food before them. Enjoying the food, Saunji asked Takumi the following, " What have you been so preoccupied with lately?"
" Nothing in particular." He answered evasively.
" Is it about life again?" Saunji shocked him with the question. Looking at him, Takumi asked, " How did you know?"
Retorting to the question, he uttered, " It was just a guess but I'm content to see that I was right."
Takumi stopped eating for a moment. Saunji then continued and said, " It's not easy for people, especially your coworkers to understand you as you're like a wall that no one can pass through."
" I'm like a wall?" Takumi was shocked even more. Saunji then said, " Didn't you know how you were being referred to?"
Not answering, Saunji uttered, " At G Consortium, everyone referred to you as 'The Robot'. " I thought you knew that, but I guess not."
" What about you?" Asking the sudden question, Saunji kept on eating the food in front of him. Watching him eat so quickly as if he wanted to run away, he forwarded a second question to the latter, " Did you also refer to me as 'The Robot' like the rest of our coworkers?"
Putting his fork down, he uttered, " I didn't know you back then, so what happened in the past doesn't matter." " What matters is that I know you now, isn't it?"
Answering in circles, Takumi apprehended the answer he was seeking. Stating indifferently, he said, " I'm done eating. Thanks for the delicacy."
With that answer alone, Saunji understood he was being ignored. Sadly, he went back to his workstation.
Hours later, when work concluded and Takumi was packing his stuff to head home, Saunji approached him yet again. " Can we talk?"
" As you can see, it's time for all of us to head home and enjoy a peaceful sleep."
As he was finished speaking, he grabbed his bag and walked down the elevator. Following him behind, Saunji tried to explain himself to him as they were inside the elevator.
" This isn't what you think, Hasegawa. Let me explain my point!"
As the elevator opened to the floor Takumi was getting off, he took a glance at Saunji and said, " I don't see what there is to explain. It's not as if I'm angry for thinking I was a robot. See you tomorrow!"
Watching Takumi walking down the Consortium, Saunji thought internally, " Of course you're angry, Hasegawa!" " If you weren't, why would you remind me of my words?"
An hour later, Takumi arrived at his parent's house. The moment he stepped inside the house, his mother asked, " What is it that I heard?"
Takumi was confused as to what his nothing was talking about and asked, " What have you heard?"
" What is it about you asking for an advance and a loan?"
Takumi was speechless. What was going through his mind then was " How did she know about that?"
" Where did you hear that from?" He asked inquisitively to his mother who retorted, " Does it matter right now how I knew about it?"
Seeing as a conflict was soon to arise, Takumi's father decided to calm the situation down between his wife and son.
" We received a call from the bank informing us of your recent activity there. As for the advance, your mother received a call from your superior at work, informing her of the situation and of how things have been going."
Takumi was infuriated with his superior's meddling, but that wasn't quite what was important at the time. His parents were upset and calming and explaining things to them was the more pressing matter.
" Mom, Dad, don't be upset and hear me out before judging!" He sighed as he continued, " There's an explanation as to why I asked for an advance on my salary and a loan at the bank."
" If you would let me explain, then things would make much more sense to you both."
" Explain to us what you need money for, Takumi!" The father asked his son, who retorted simply, " I need the money for Luna."
The mother and father were stunned by the latter's response, especially the mother.
" For Luna?"
Takumi explained to his mother how Luna had heard their conversation which was the reason why she ran away that day without a word. He also explained to his mother and father Luna's situation and how he wished to change things.
" It's Luna's wish to have a family of her own, like the children her age. I'd like to give her that family, but simply wishing for it won't simply make that wish come true."
" I need funding to assure Luna has a quality life. My current salary isn't enough to ascertain that she'll be well taken care of and that's why I went to my superior to ask for an advance and why I went to the bank for a loan, but both came out unsatisfactory."
Listening to the whole story from their son, the mother spoke. " You've been behaving strangely since the accident. First, you arbitrarily refused to get married and now you're speaking of adopting a kid you barely know. What's next?"
Asking next was his father, " Do you want to adopt her because she doesn't have a family or are there some hidden reasons you're not telling us?"
Answering his parents' questions together, he stated, " I got attached to her since the moment I met her. I truly wish to adopt her as my daughter."
Understanding his son's intentions, he turned to his wife and stated, " Takumi has seriously thought things through before going through with it. Instead of reprimanding him as we're currently doing, why don't we give him a hand?"
At the sound of his father's words, Takumi's eyes brightened at the thought he might make Luna's wish come true. Looking forward to his mother's answer, he was disappointed when he heard her say, " Help him? Had he been listening to us as of late?"
' It was to be expected. I don't know what I was expecting in the end. Why would Mom help me? She's still upset at me for denying her the last time?'
Noticing her son's gloomy expression, she stated, " If you truly wish to adopt Luna, you'll have to do something for me first. Do you consent?"
It wasn't difficult for Takumi to imagine what his mother could want from him.
Staring into his mother's gaze, he asked, " If I listen and agree to your terms, will you make Luna's wish come true?"
" Don't be so quick to hear me out! You should listen to what my request is first and make a decision afterward."
Nodding, Takumi nodded, " I know what your request is, Mom."
" You'd like for me to go on a blind date, am I wrong?"
Takumi's mother was speechless as to how to retort. As his mother wasn't denying the latter, Takumi stated, " Seeing as you're not denying it, I guess I was right."
—
" I agree to go on a blind date with a girl you chose yourself, I promise." Takumi agreed with a subtle smile.
The mother was infuriated that he would agree to her terms so easily without her needing to persuade him further.
" You would agree that easily?"
Looking at his mother's infuriating face, he stated, " Who said I'd agree easily?"
Both father and mother were stunned and confused. " What do you mean?" " Didn't you say you agreed with my terms just now? Were you lying to me so that I let my guard down?"
" Of course, I wasn't lying. I meant every word I said just now. I'm agreeing to your terms, but not without a little condition on your part."
" A condition?"
" Before I go on that blind date, you need to help me with Luna's adoption first." The mother was stunned even more, " If the adoption is deemed to be successful, then I'll comply with my part and go on a blind date with the girl you specifically arranged for me."
" So, what do you say to my condition, Mother? Do you accept my terms?"
Takumi's mother found something to be fishy about her son's terms and questioned him about them. " You're asking that I fulfill my part first, but what if after giving you what you want, you refuse to comply with your part of the deal? What then? Won't I be losing out here?"
" She's right. What if you don't comply with your part of the deal?" The father uttered as he tried to take a stand.
Looking as composed as possible, Takumi uttered in turn, " Mom, don't you know your son? Why would I back out once I've given you my word?" " Have I ever disobeyed or lied to you?"
—
Not looking as if she would give in anytime soon, Takumi then came up with a favorable solution for both parties.
" Why don't we do this as you can't find it in your heart to trust me?"
—
" After you've helped me settle down Luna's adoption, the following week, you may arrange the blind date and also choose the location. Once you've taken care of everything, you simply inform me of the time, day, and location."
" What do you say to that, Mom?" " Do we have a deal?"